Echoes of Thunder
by bucketsaw
Summary: Donald Blake has spent the last few years of his life thinking he was just some cripple, living in a backwater city. But as strange dreams plague his mind, an mysterious invitation will change every single idea the man has about himself, who he is and what is his role in life, forever. And he has no idea how many lives he had.
1. Chapter 1 - The Apotheosis

**Prologue**

Somewhere

It was a warm night and the sky full of stars, mostly because of how far from the city they were.

Erik had never left the orphanage or its immediate surroundings, ever since his parents left him there when he was a toddler. So when Father Harada told him about their little trip, the 11 year old was naturally very excited.

"Who are we meeting again, Father" Said the boy, on a curious note. The priest at first hesitated.

"We are meeting a very important man, Erik" The grizzly, asian forty-something looked at the boy "He helped us when we needed help, and offered us what we lacked. For that, we owe him a great debt. The orphanage couldn't exist without him".

"He seems a really nice guy." The kid's words seemed to sadden the priest." I hope he likes me". Harada looked the kid in the eye, and said almost breaking. "I am sure he will"

The boy nodded, assenting to the man's words, before looking out of the window of the car to the lights up the hill. Before long, he could see what they were. A giant mansion laid there, Erik couldn't quite believe a house that big existed. It's gate, surrounded by electrified fences, stood thrice the size of the guards stationed at the entrance, with an sign giving the name of the place. Nidhogg's root Club. It was also possible to see several dozens of cars parked. It must be some kind of party thought Erik

Father Harada touched the boy's shoulder, and handed him a blindfold

"Put those on, son" The priest said gently.

The boy didn't like it. "But I wanna see the party, Father."

"It would be better if you didn't". The older man griped the kid's shoulder and said again, sternly. " Put them on, alright?"

The boy assented, as they passed through the guards and moved up the hill, to the mansion

Although he couldn't see a thing, Erik could hear and smell everything as they passed through the main hall. The loud moaning and screaming from several people, not out of pain, but of enjoyment. The smell, a mixture of perfume, sweat, food fresh and rotten, something else he couldn't quite figure what was but could swear he smelled it before in the older kids, all of that, and blood. It was also possible to hear extra footsteps besides the kid's and the Father's, a group of people separating them from the party that surrounded.

"Now, now, what's that lil' thing? A gift for me? Can't say ever played with someone this youn-" A woman's voice said ahead, before a loud bump noise shut her up.

"What's this, Father? What's happening?" The kid was distressed, unable to understand what happened around him.

"Shush, Erik, we are almost there" The Priest seemed angry

After stepping down several steps, they entered a door, where the boy's blindfold was removed. He realized being on a great, cold chamber with a balcony, the view apparently going to a dark abyss in the middle, at least a couple dozen meters down. It was dark, and nothing could be seen much, except a faint blue shape at the bottom.

"You have finally arrived" A gentle voiced echoed in the chamber from the kid's right side. "Good Evening, Father Harada, and good evening..." Erik turned to face the voice. "...Erik".

A man stood there in green robes, his hair was black and reached all the way to the back, the eyes a strange, unnatural shade of green, and long, black and sharp nails. He was hunched down, looking at Erik. Besides him other figures imposed. A man in a suit, with shoulder-length blond hair, with burns covering the right side of the face. A red-haired woman, with a shapely figure, her blue dress exposing a cleavage. The stranger of them all, however, was far behind, a man with milk-white hair, face as pale as a dead body, pointed ears and wearing clothes that seemed rags straight out of old stories of knights and ladies. His face obscured by shadows.

"Mr. Wednesday, it's such a hon…" The man in robes approached Erik and interrupted Harada.

"Yes, yes, it's an honor, you wish you could do more and is thankful, at loss of words for all I have done". He took the boys hand and jerked at Harada's direction. "Let's not lose anymore time, shall we? You can go now, Harada".

"Wait, what?" The boy confusion grew. "What about me?" The Priest was already being escorted out as Erik screamed his name. "Father Harada!", he said starting to struggle against Wednesday's grip. The priest gave the boy a sorrowful look before the doors closed.

"Calm now, no need for this desperation" The woman spoke in a sweet, almost singing voice as she approached both of them. "You are here because we told your priest we needed help, sweet boy".

It was strange, Erik had never met this woman, but wanted to please her, and as such, stopped struggling. He could not stop staring at her lips, his feelings starting to emerge. He had never felt like this before, like something was burning inside.

"Your help, to be precise". She touched his cheek, and caressed his face. "Will you help us, Erik?" She touched her lips to his forehead. "Help me?"

He did not know much at this point, except that he would give his body to help her. He did not quite remember what a soul meant to be from Father Harada's lessons, but knew he would give it too, and said excitedly "Yes!"

"Well, then." Wednesday called for the boy's attention. "Let me introduce you to someone." He looked at the strange, pale man, who nodded.

The woman took the boy's hand as Wednesday ordered the man with a pale face to open a hatch. The hatch led to rudimentary stairs embedded in rock that descended all the way down the abyss. Wednesday and the man with a Burned face walked down the stairs, the boy and the woman following them.

They walked for quite some time. Not that Erik noticed. He could only look at the woman holding his hand. They arrived at the bottom where it was completely dark. It was not possible to see even a few feet ahead. The smell was a disgusting mixture of fresh blood and rot. Erik felt an intense nausea, but the woman's calming presence prevented him from throwing up. He could hear a loud moaning and the sound of metal scratching the floor coming from… somewhere. It was difficult to tell where, but it was close.

They stopped and Mr. Wednesday turned to Erik.

"Child, show me your hand". Wednesday said.

Erik complied and raised his hand. It was steady.

Wednesday nodded. "Good boy".

The man in green robes gestured with his hands in the air. Suddenly, two pillars of green fire appeared a few feet from the group, parallel to each other. It illuminated in every direction for a dozen meters. Erik's eyes sparkled with wonder.

"Are you a wizard?" Asked Erik.

Wednesday just smiled.

Everything beyond was still darkness. But the pillars were enough to show what was in front of them.

Erik saw it and could not hold it any longer. His face became green and threw up all over the floor.

A man chained to the floor. The chains were gigantic. Easily two feet wide. They had strange symbols drawn in it, Erik remembered them. Runes, he guessed was the name.

But the man. He could barely be called a human anymore. He had a full beard and wild long hair, soaked in blood. He wore no clothes, revealing his nude body. A scarred wounded thing.

The man was full of gashes all across his body. He did not had a patch of skin on his back, showing the raw muscle. One of his arms was completely deformed, a twisted thing of raw flesh and blood. One leg was broken with a exposed bone. The man tried to speak, only to cough blood. A cut tongue.

The ground around him was full of blood and feces.

Erik could not bear it to look any longer, grabbed the woman's dress and turned his head to the other side.

"Do not look away boy". The man with a burned face said. "Confront this worm. That is your right".

Erik did not listen and closed his eyes. The Man with a Burned face lost his patience and grabbed the boy's head, forcibly turning it to face the prisoner. Erik started to cry.

Wednesday touched the man's hands, a sign for him to let go. Which he did. Erik grabbed the woman harder.

Wednesday crouched to face Erik. "Child, do not feel fear or disgust. That man deserves this".

Erik opened one eye to look at Wednesday. He then looked at the man in chains again. The prisoner was sitting, surprisingly calm considering his situation. He looked at Erik who instinctively looked away.

Wednesday looked at the red headed woman, who began to caress Erik's hair. The boy was filled with serenity.

"Erik". The woman said with her sweet lips."Wednesday wishes are mine as well. Do as he says".

"Lorelei, please". Wednesday said. "No need for this farce anymore. Erik can call me Loki".

The boy looked at Loki, and smiled. A robotic expression that was exposed by the despaired eyes. Loki reached a hand which Erik grabbed, and both walked closer to the man. Lorelei still by their side.

"Good evening, Huginn". Said Loki with a smug smile. "I trust you did not wanted to meet your kin in this situation".

Erik for a second almost broke from his spell. Was that man related to him? It was only for a second though, as Lorelei's touch once again put him under a trance.

The prisoner gave Loki a look of pure fury, which Loki answered with a blink. He put one hand behind Erik's back and pushed him closer to the man in chains.

"Erik, meet your father". Said Loki.

Erik still sported his smile, but a single tear fell down his face. His expression was scary to look at.

"Are you confused?" Loki asked the kid who answered with a nod. "I would be surprised if you weren't. That man's name is Huginn, Erik. And he is a old cowardly thing".

Erik could not take his eyes away from the man anymore.

"I don't know the details. But my guess is he met a woman, had his way with her, and left". Loki put one hand on Erik's shoulder. "He never met you. He probably did not even know you existed until now. But now that you are here? Look in his eyes".

Erik stare at the man. The prisoner eye's although angry, were also sorrowful and guilty. He knew it was true. And Erik knew too.

"Yes, I know". Loki's voice had a quiet but furious tone. "A father should be there for his son. That's why I want you to help us punish him".

The boy's smile grew larger. His eyes started to tear up profusely. His expression was a twisted thing, a mixture of angriness, fear and compliance. He wanted to punish the man. He wanted to be loved by the man. He wanted to get away from there and he wanted to stay.

The boy nodded.

"Good". Said Loki. The man in robe looked at the man with a burned face. "Siegfried, time for Erik to meet our pet".

Siegfried walked closer to one of the pillars of green fire. He put on hand on it and pulled away, somehow holding a green flame in his palm. He started to walk away in the darkness, the flame lighting his surroundings. He approached a blue shape a few dozen meters away from the main group. As he walked closer, the shape was clearer.

It was a blue giant, about three times the size of Siegfried who was no small man, and just as wide. The giant had metal fused to his flesh like an armor. His hands were completely mechanic, and one was much bigger than the other. He wore a tasset that reached his knees. His chest was bare, but it was clear some kind of metal and circuits were embedded in his flesh. The giant got up and tried to punch Siegfried, only for his fists to stop before reaching the man. The same kind of chains on Huginn imprisoned the giant to the ground, but they seemed small for him.

Siegfried looked at Erik. And jerked his head to the blue giant. The blue thing saw Loki, Lorelei, the prisoner. And Erik. And he grinned.

Erik looked at the giant and met his eyes. His smile immediately stopped and he hid behind Loki.

"It… it wants to eat me!". Erik shouted. Lorelei caressed his face, the trance working once more.

"It does wants to eat, Erik". Said Lorelei.

Loki interrupted. "Help us, Erik". He said, his tone cold, almost robotic. "Help us feed him".

Erik hesitated but Lorelei's touch was too alluring. The woman took his hand and started to walk closer to the giant. The prisoner behind them was agitated, shaking his chains. He tried to shout a warning, but only managed to spit blood. Hugin made the only noise he could. And screamed.

Loki approached the prisoner. "Watch your child Huginn. See what happens to him". Loki put one hand on Huginn's face, who flinched. "And remember what happened to mine".

The prisoner and his tormenter watched as Lorelei and Erik walked closer to the giant. The thing had hungry eyes, saliva pouring from his mouth.

And the boy never again saw home.

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Apotheosis**

 _Broxton, Oklahama_

Donald Blake did not wanted to be there, the small office smelled of old people and cheap perfume, the clock on the wall clocking was really distracting, the psychiatrist chair on which he laid was terribly discomforting and the portly balding old man sitting at his front, frankly, just didn't gave much of a shit. Or else he would stop making notes and just talk already

"You know" Said the doctor after stopping with the notes "When Jane told me about your case, I was quite fascinated".

"Oh, really?" Donald replied surprised

"Yes, yes, I didn't expect her to become enamored with such a mess like yourself" Donald was sure that was against protocol.

The man in the chair was fairly nervous about the appointment with a psychologist. Usually, he was the one treating people, a military doctor who even got hold of seeing actual combat a fair share of times, or more than a share. Donald Blake was a well built man, with strong, large shoulders and arms coupled with a rugged full beard and blonde hair that reached almost his shoulders. He was even larger once, but a leg injury prevented him from properly exercising, not that it stopped the man from trying. As a result of the injury, Donald was forced to use a leg support and cane which although helped him stand up, did nothing to the chronic pain that plagued he constantly and had come to get used to it. The doctor he was seeing today was an old friend from his girlfriend's father, who she insisted he would see after some persistent nightmares

"So tell me, Dr. Blake, what plagues your mind?"

The patient paused for a few seconds before saying "Look, Dr. Selvig… I…" He was clearly having trouble saying whatever it was "It's complicated, you know" Seeming to think before letting even a poof of air. "I...I guess I have been dreaming… stuff"

Selvig was clearly amused with such an answer. "Why, yes, of course. Stuff is dreaming, since it defines something, the contrary to nothing which would be, of course, just sleeping" Although it contributed nothing to the session, it was painfully obvious the psychiatrist wanted a medal for the wit.

"No..." Donald didn't find much to laugh. "It's like I am someone else, somewhere else, doing something else" He paused for a few seconds finding the words to describe something which seemed so mundane. "They are like memories, not like dreams, I know I have full lives each time I remember those…episodes". He then had a epiphany. "HA! Like when Picard plays the flute, y'know? At the end of that one episode? He live that life, and know it happened, except it didn't? Doc?"

Selvig looked unimpressed with the analogy, before taking notes again. "I see" He stretched the last syllable, and without stop taking notes said. "Are any of these...lives… recurrent?"

Donald seemed hit with the answer. "Well, one of them. There I am not from, like, here. I am from far away."

"Like China?" The doctor seemed to actually think he was to something with the suggestion.

"No! Not like China, man, geez." Donald contorted his mouth before speaking softly. "Not from Earth".

"..." The silence was all the answer the patient needed. It wasn't the only one he got. "Like a Alien? From outer Space? A little green thin…"

"NO! Like a warrior, a prince. I seem human enough, but I feel bigger, stronger. I have those abilities and… I can fly."

Doctor Selvig had stopped taking notes, cleared off his glasses and spoke. "I know what afflicts you, Doctor Blake". The patient seemed hopeful, since thanks to those dreams he wasn't able to get a proper night's sleep for a feel weeks. "I know about the chronic pain from your injury, I know how that can mess with a man's body." He stopped to look firmly at Donald. "Are you having performance issues?"

The blonde sitting in the psychologist chair took his time to process the question.

"Of a sexual nature."

"I understood it, yes". He caught himself. "I mean, No, no, I am not thank you very much."

"Please, from doctor to doctor, I am only asking for your own good… and Jane's"

"Jane is fine!" Donald Blake suddenly shouted. "I am fine too, what kind of question is that?"

"Please, the desire for power, ability to fly and escape your problems… these are typical power fantasies designed by the desire for something you lack. Manhood."

Donald stared at the man in front of him. "I am a soldier and a doctor, Selvig, I am a power fantasy". Blake was trying to regain some face

"Not anymore, you are discharged thanks to your injury, aren't you? And you haven't even tried finding a job somewhere you could practice the profession. I saw your file, and I know what those painkiller can do to you."

Before Selvig finished, Donald Blake was already aiming for the door, cane in hand "Yeah, I will be going now." He remembered something. "Oh, and don't worry, I will be sure to tell everyone waiting in line what a creep Dr. Selvig is." He finished opening the door and finding an empty corridor

"You are really the only appointment today… this week"

Sometimes, revenge doesn't present itself

* * *

"I bet Reed Richards never had this problem" Jane Foster said under her breath.

The coffee table was covered in scattered papers, the woman hunched over it, trying to make some sense of all the data she dad. "This thing doesn't obey the laws of thermodynamics at all"

The blonde sitting at the couch with a cane by his lap seemed boorish. "Yeah, well, I swore you would be excited".

"I am, Don" Jane picked a photo. "But this is just ridiculous." The image showed a hammer embed deep in a rock that fused to the ground. "When Shield called, I thought to be part of something new, not to make a fool of myself". She slammed the photo in the table. "I can't even make sense out of the readings".

Three months ago, half the south's power grid just blacked out for about 10 seconds. At first it was thought to be a solar flare, but then the electromagnetic scanning showed a EMP blast originating from a single point, a few miles east of Broxton. The radiation periodically emitted implied it conducted energy unlike any object now to man, yet the slab of metal was cold, and no one knew from where the energy came. But the most distinct feature was the fact it was, simply put, unmovable. Not even the most powerful engines were able to change its position, and yet the apparent inmesurable weight didn't even put a dent on the normal piece of rock where it was stationed. The most brilliant minds were put to work in order to understand the object, and yet after 1 month of research, Jane Foster wasn't able to make a single breakdown on what the thing even was

"It seems a hammer to me." Donald Blake got up and picked the image, staring at it for a moment. "And not one even a cool one, that handle is barely bigger than my hand."

Jane pulled the photo from her boyfriend's hand. "Its not a hammer, Don." She seemed genuinely hurt from the suggestion her subject of study was just a simple construction tool. "It's a puzzle, and I'm going to solve it. "She paused for a few seconds staring at the image. "Just don't know how."

Donald pulled Jane to his arms, and kissed her neck. "Well, I'm just happy that you found some time to come home again" He tuned her to face him. "I missed you". She kissed his lips, her hand sliding inside his shirt as the man's hand reached for something on her back.

Jane petit but voluptuous figure was engulfed in Donald's massive size. He caressed her brown hair before removing her glasses and slightly lifting her in the air

"So how was the session with Selvig?" Asked Jane.

Donald just stared at her for a few seconds. "Amazing".

"I know, right?" Jane's smile was a sweet thing, pretty to look at. "That man is a genius".

And then the interphone rang. Donald sighed under his breath before walking towards the device and pressing a button. "Ahn, Mr. Blake?". A nasal voice said from the other side."There's a man here wanting to see you. He says he has a gift."

"Name?" Blake's birthday was yet four monthd away, and his behaviour wasn't being exactly praise-worthy the past few weeks. He couldn't fathom why would someone bring him a present.

"Didn't say it, but he has a card. I think it's from the Nidhogg's Root Club"

Donald and Jane looked each other in confusion. The Nidhogg's Root Club was a socialite private association where only the elite of the elite attended with more than a 100 years of history, their parties did not allowed any kind of camera or media inside.

"Tell him to come up." Said Donald.

The man was dressed in fine clothing, a black suit the kind worth more than a year salary from Donald. Not that the good doctor received a salary at the moment. Maybe a year's government pension for veterans. Before leaving without saying a word, he handed Donald a bottle of a expensive, foreign wine and an invitation which read:

 _Dear Dr. Blake_

 _You are here therefore invited for the Nidhogg's Root Club most prestigious event this Fryday night as the guest of honour_

 _Make sure to wear the appropriate attire and feel free to bring a companion._

 _With regards_

 _Mr. Wednesday, most honorable President for the Nidhogg's Root Club Association_

Donald mouth was wide open, his eyes unblinking.

"So? What does it say?" Jane tried to peek from behind the man's back

"They...they invited us. To their party." Donald was still unmoving, Jane followed him on staying still.

They stared at the invitation for a few seconds, before Jane hugged Donald and said "Let's buy new clothes then."

* * *

They had never seen such a big place with so few people. The mansion's main hall seemed even more titanic when almost empty, Jane thought to herself that a truck could easily make a few rounds around the place. The guests mostly kept to themselves besides the quick glimpses towards the couple, talking in small groups, the sound of their voices echoing through the hall.

"The could have warned us it was a costume party" Donald seemed uneasy. Although all the guest weared formal dress, the also seemed to be in some kind of costume. Some had pointy ears and unnatural eye colors, like purple or completely white irises. Some seemed monstrous, with a reptilian appearance. And other had blue, red, black and different shades of skin. "We must look like a couple of republicans on our wear"

Donald wore a black suit, Jane had a red dress exposing her back and right leg. As they walked through the hall, it couldn't be helped but feel a bit out of place amidst the colorful costumes the other guest had.

"Well, if someone asks, you can say you are Dr. House on steroids." She caressed Donald's hand gripping his cane "The costumes are awfully convincing for mere a party."

"These people probably own half of…" Donald paused for a moment, regarding his words "...everything. You would think they would want to impress one another. A gold dick measuring contest, if you will."

"There are women here too, you know."

"Oh, clit measuring them." Donald said. She smiled and gently slapped his forehead

A loud clapping began, coming from the main steps up ahead, leading to the stairs. A man in a black suit and a half-burned face stood there smiling. "Welcome, Dr. Blake. The party was waiting for you". He said, all the eyes fixed on him. He began walking towards the couple, a nervous Donald gripping his cane harder.

"My name is Siegfried, and I will be the one introducing you to the place" the man was now face to face with the doctor, despite his foreign name he had not a hint of an accent. "And would you look at that? Who's this pretty little thing?" Jane took a step back at the man's lustful eyes.

"This, Mr. Siegfried" Donald pushed his girlfriend closer, taking her under his arm "Is my girlfriend, Dr. Jane foster. She's a physicist."

Jane said a faint hello and extended her hand on a handshake, before the man turned her hand and kissed it "Dr. Foster, I trust you to enjoy the party on your own as I take the good doctor here to discuss some matters".

"Wait, which matters?" Jane seemed worried. Siegfried eyes for a moment turned angry.

"Matters between me and Dr. Blake" his tone provocatory.

"Excuse me?"

"I will go" Donald said before taking Jane to the side "It's okay, hon. I think I can handle some rich creep".

"It's not about you. What am I supposed to do while you go have fun with some..." She paused looking at the man, who eyed them smugly "...rich creep?"

"I don't know. Look at the size of this place, just go have fun" He let go of her, gestured to Siegfried and began walking with the man toward the stairs. Jane's eyes following them as they walked. She turned to face the party, all guests staring at her after the two men disappeared.

"I think I need a drink."

* * *

"So, why did you sign Mr. Wednesday on the invitation?" Blake eyed the man, trying to analyze him. He was even bigger and more well built than Donald himself, the suit's cut clearly outlining his physique. "You told us your name anyway."

"Because I didn't. I am not the host, doctor"

"Oh, so who is?"

"That's where I am taking you."

The stairs seemed to go on and on, each corridor which Donald glimpsed seemed bigger than the last. The house seemed old, and most likely lacked a elevator, quite a design fail for a man with a crippled leg.

"That host, y'know, could have told me it was a costume party."

"Costume?" Siegfried caught himself for a moment "Oh, yes. Well, our guests are quite… eccentric, doctor. I wouldn't worry about feeling out of place. Especially you."

"Of course, guest of honor and what-not."

"Of course."

When they finally stopped, they arrived at end of a long corridor. The door in front of them was made of solid wood with symbols carved in. Donald remembered them from books on norse mythology. The man with burned face dispensed the security that accompanied them until now.

"What, I look so harmless you ain't even gonna search me?"

"Doctor, they weren't here for us, there were here for you" Siegfried said as he opened the door.

Inside, a big luxurious office. The fireplace could roast a whole bull, the red carpet seemed made of some animal's fur and covered almost the entire room, and the windows gave view directly to the city of Bronxton in its entirety, a beautiful view in the night. Looking out the window, a man stood. His hair was black, and he wore an extremely formal attire, black with green details and golden metal ornaments. The kind of clothing only a noble would wear. His nails were long, sharp and painted black.

"Mr. Wednesday, may I present you Dr. Donald Blake". Said Siegfried, gesturing to Donald.

"Ahn, Hi" Donald couldn't help but feel a little intimated a the man's presence.

Mr. Wednesday turned around to face the doctor "Good evening, doctor. Please, have a seat".

Donald looked for a chair, before sitting besides the fireplace. Wednesday kept standing where he was, and Blake noticed his eyes, shining like emeralds.

"You may leave us, Siegfried." As the man with burned face closed the door before leaving, Wednesday approached Donald and sat on a chair in front of him.

"I have been waiting for this for quite some time"

"Yes, thank you, that invitation came out of the left field y'know" Donald held the chair's leather tight, nervous.

"It's the least I can do for such a man as yourself, good doctor" The mysterious man gestured to a bar on the far right of the room "Please, have a drink"

"No, thanks, I don't drink" Don put his hands in the air.

Wednesday seemed surprised. It was nice to get a reaction from the man. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, I just can't handle it".

"I believe you"

"So, anyway, no disrespect and all, but I can't help but wonder, what is all of this?" He gestured with his hand "Guest of honor? In here? I thought this was a place for… y'know" Donald looked down and then at the man in front of him, what he wanted to say was a place for debauchery and sex and all the kinds of kirks human mind could imagine "For rich people".

"This is a place for people who deserve it, a place for those who merit to be here" The man got up "And no one deserves it more than you, Doctor. I heard about you, about the sacrifices you made. A man who got hurt on a war he had no business fighting, a man of scientific knowledge using his gifts to help, to cure those in need" He approached the bar and started to pour a bottle of brandy in to a crystalline cup. "I heard that after your injury, you didn't look for a job, am I correct? With your curriculum I am sure several medical centers would be killing to have someone like you with them".

Donald dismissed the compliment with a gesture "I got some offers. Here, others in New York. Turned them all down though".

"Yes, you have been working with the poor, with those in need, without taking a single penny" He raised the glass in compliment.

"Yeah, I have been receiving some money from the government. It's not much, but it's all I need, really. My apartment is very simple, and I don't spend much time there anyway. I mostly work with NGOs taking care of the homeless and the poor. In fact, I am supposed to go to Africa next month, quite excited for that".

"Truly a singular man" Wednesday thought to himself for a moment and let go a little smile of irony

"Not really, if you knew some of the people working with me. They had so much, and left it all in order to help others. Compared to them I am just doing my job".

Wednesday seemed surprised with the man's humility. It was truly something he did not expect. Donald was uncomfortable with the silence.

"So, what happens now?" The doctor started to tap his fingers on the chair

The man at front seemed to snap out of a trance "Yes, now doctor, I explain your predicament" He took a sip of the glass, stopping to appreciate it "You see, by accepting my invitation, you accepted being part of a world bigger than anything you knew. And so did your friend".

Donald's expression closed "Jane? What about her?".

"Well, I don't see her here. And my guests down there might not take kindly to an outsider." And just as Wednesday finished his sentence, the shooting started. Shooting, screams and loud shattering noises. Coming from down below.

"You might want to go check on your friend" The man said before taking another sip, and smiling. Donald's expression turned sour, then angry as he runned as fast as a cripple could to Jane Foster's aid.

* * *

Jane Foster was in trouble. Big trouble. She could not find where the bar was. Everytime she tried to call the attention of a waiter, the guy just dismissed her for one of the costumed guests.

"Well, ahn, Hello there" Jane let go a smile approaching one of the people in the party "I am kinda lost here".

"Don't you say" The woman who she talked to wore a blue dress with crystals embed to the fabric. It appeared as she had long pointed ears, and the hair was a strange shade of purple, her skin as pale as milk with tribal-like markings on the cheeks. Quite off putting.

Jane swallowed her pride "Can you help me find the bar? I need something to drink here".

The woman eyed her from feet to head and snapped her fingers to a waiter. Jane could swear the man appeared out of thin air "Help her".

"Okay, mister, could you get something to drink? I would love some bourbon" she paused for a second "with some...lemon?" Jane had never tasted bourbon on her life, had no idea what it was or what it was good with.

The waiter looked at the woman with pointy ears, who gave him an asserting nod, before slightly bowing and leaving to fetch the drink. Jane smiled to the woman, who without paying attention returned to her conversation with the small group she was in. A man with red skin and big horns, another with blue skin and a woman with four eyes but instead of legs, spider appendages. All of them in formal attire.

"What kinda costume is that?" she thought to herself. That is just the kind of thing you see in fantasy movies, they must be people in the industry. As she continued the tour through the hall, it was obvious that to the place, eccentric would not begin to describe it. Everyone wore costumes, and she noted even children among them, wearing full beards with rough facial prostheses. Just insane.

"Thank you" she said to the waiter bringing her drink, who bowed again and left. Jane took a sip of the bourbon, tasted it, made a slight nod and then spat it out on the glass. Great place, terrible taste.

"These people just don't know what makes a good drink" a voice came from her side. Jane looked and noticed the woman. She had short hair and held a white porcelain mask on the upper half of her face, exposing a scar running across the nose. She wore not a dress, but a feminine black suit "If you ask me, I would rather a good cold beer."

Jane was relieved that someone made the effort to talk to her "Yes, thank you" she was trying to find somewhere to put down the glass, before settling for an empty table next to her. "Hi, I'm Jane. Jane Foster". The two just stared each other for a second before Jane tried to break the ice. "So, are you a regular here?"

The woman in suit eyed her for a second "No, but this is a special occasion".

"Yes, I know" Jane was very proud of what she had to say next "I came here with the guest of honor".

The woman came closer "I am aware, Dr. Foster. So tell me, here is Dr. Donald Blake?"

"You know him?"

"Oh, yes, I am here for him".

Jane was surprised, and then furious. Where do they knew each other? What was Donald up to while she was gone? They would have a talk back home.

"He went with some big guy named Siegfried"

"God fucking damn it!" the swearing caught Jane by surprise. The woman was visibly angry. She extended one hand towards the lady doctor "Come then".

"Come? Come where?"

"To save your boyfriend"

Jane's heart skipped a beat. What was she talking about, was Donald in danger? The place did have some creepy vibes and the man with a burned face seemed less than thrust worthy. Jane wondered for a moment, before being interrupted.

"Lady Sif" Siegfried booming voice screamed "What an honour having someone of the likes of you here". He was positioned on the second floor, several guards aiming rifles at the woman's direction.

"Hello Siegfried" she smiled "I see your face is as pretty as ever. I may have something to help conceal your likeness" She showed the mask on her left hand "Because, let's be honest, this place is full of horrendousness as it is, they don't need your help spooking the place up".

He smiled angrily "Yes, a great honour. Unfortunately, the place is overcrowded" Siegfried gestured to the empty hall "I will have to ask you to leave".

"I am not leaving without whom I came here for".

"Hah! Sorry for your troubles, but Loki already met him, they are talking right now."

"Then I will just take him".

Then the shooting started. Guards positioned on the second floor opened fire on the woman, as well as ones among the guest. Several bullets hitting the guests, spraying purple, red, blue, black blood, as many shades as skins as of bodily fluids. The stone and wood flew all over as the shooting destroyed the place.

Sif pushed Jane under a table with enormous speed, the doctor barely registering what happened. And then things got weird

Sif just stayed on the line of fire, allowing bullets to hit her. Which they did. And then bounced off. She calmly approached a pillar, while the bullets flew. She stood, and with a single strike, pierce the pillar's base with her bare hands, shards of rock flying. She then took another strike, this time up and removing the pillar altogether, which she placed in front of Jane.

"Doctor, be nice and stay here so you won't get killed" Sif said before crossing about 10 meters in 2 seconds, and stabbing her hand through a security's chest. She lifted the man in the hair, and throwed him at another, hitting him and making the guy shoot other guards and some guests. The screams of pain and sound of the shootout echoed through the hall.

Jane then threw up.

Siegfried jumped from over the balcony on the second floor to the main hall, cracking the ground under him, the bullets never stopping, hitting him as well and bouncing off again hitting some guests, several which were already dead. Sif never saw the punch to her temple, throwing her against another pillar, breaking the thing in a million pieces.

By that time, the woman's suit was torn to pieces, underneath it metal plates showed. They were white, with red mail in between each piece of metal. Sif got up and prepared herself as Siegfried charged in.

"WHAT. THE FUCK. IS HAPPENING" The screams of Donald Blake, down the main hall, momentarily stopped the carnage, with both Sif and Siegfried staring at the man. Then the shooting resumed. Blake tried to take cover behind the one of the pillars.

Sif and Siegfried once again duked it out. The man threw a punch and Sif, using his size and strength as leverage, jerked it away to the side with her elbow. As the fist passed her head she grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed the man closer, kneeling him in the abdomen, making him crouch as she used the momentum to armlock his head under her armpit. Sif finalized by elbowing his back repeatedly faster than the eye could see and throwing Siegfried through a pillar and a wall to outside in the garden.

The woman approached the crouching Donald. He seemed in shock, but before he could snap out of it and speak, Sif took him and put the grown man over her shoulder like he was a ragdoll. He protested, but was silenced with a tap to the head "Jane Foster! Come with me, NOW!" She screamed the order at Jane, also crouched behind the pillar she put for her. The physicist was praying and did not hear.

Jane only noticed outside her closed eyes when she heard the pillar being moved. She looked up to Sif, carrying the pillar with one hand above her head, and the unconscious Dr. Blake on one shoulder "We've got to move".

Siegfried recovered from the blow, and stood up. He saw Sif and Foster leaving the mansion, but before he had the chance to charge at them, Wednesday appeared by his side, through the shadows one pillar cast.

"Enough! Let them go!"

"Loki! You must be joking. That's Sif right there, we've been waiting… I have been waiting for this moment for a long time."

"I know, and you will wait more." Wednesday didn't quite appear wholly humanoid while fused to the shadow, he seemed more like a mass of black smoke assuming human form, but a smile was still visible.

"But-"

"ENOUGH! Remember, she's the only one who can awaken our dear Doctor" One tendril of shadow touched Siegfried's shoulder, making him flinch "Remember why we are here, my dear General. And remember, that in the night, lightning gives way to shadow..." Loki then produced a small flame from his shadowy hand "...and fire".

The humanoid figure dissipated, leaving Siegfried to contemplate as his enemies got away.

He then noticed the main hall. Dozen of bodies laid out everywhere, most mutilated beyond recognition. A pool of blood had taken the entire floor, which from white became scarlet red.

Siegfried stepped on the blood. And he laughed.

* * *

"Oh, I understand your silence. It is not everyday you get to witness the Great Volstagg" Said the man sitting in the old sofa on the abandoned building.

After escaping the mansion, Sif had brought Jane to three other people. Their names were Fandral, Hogun and the self acclaimed Great Volstagg. From there, Sif lead them all there, as Donald's apartment most likely was compromised. Donald shortly woke, and they stood there in silence trying to make some sense of what happened.

"Yes, great" Frandall huffed "Roads and sidewalks alike tremble in fear at the sight of the Voluminous's footsteps".

"YES! whait what"

Great indeed, Volstagg definitely wasn't a little thing, his girth such that he alone occupied almost an entire sofa designed for 3 people. His beard, a reddish orange wild thing reaching the man's knee. He wore a set of plate armor, with reddish-brown fabric underneath it.

The sizeable man bickered with Fandral, called the Dashing. A handsome person, Fandral had blonde hair and goatee, with green fabric underneath his plate.

Watching the two bicker was Hogun, called the Grim. Unlike the others, he had mostly asian features, with a closed expression on his face and a long moustache reaching the base of his neck. He hadn't said a single word yet. Not the he need, for as he stomped his feet in the ground and the entire room shook, Fandral and Volstagg's eyes met his, and their incessant blabbing immediately stopped.

Jane and Donald sat on a corner staring each other and the strange people who were now in their presence. Their eyes having not curiosity, but a mixture of fear and angriness and confusion and powerlessness. Powerlessness at not being able to fight back, at only being able to hide, and above all, for not understanding the power they just witnessed.

Sif came down from the rooftop after watching for a couple hours for movements in the city. "Nothing" She was quite confused "It's like not a single thing happened, everything is just...running normally".

"I don't want to know about how thing are running" Donald said looking down "I want to know what just HAPPENED!" He grabbed his cane and got up, almost falling down "Who are you people? What do you want with us?" Sif approached him with a disquieting look " How can you do those thin-..." And then slapped him so hard across the face that the doctor fell on the floor.

What was left of a stability on Jane's mind was now gone, she picked a slab of wood and slammed it against Sif's head, who barely noticed it shattering against her. Jane fell on the floor from the momentum she put on the move, looking at her hands, cut and bleeding.

Sif picked Donald with little effort "Coward! You hide while the fight happens?" she took a spit "I expect that from them, but not from you".

"Lady, you don't even know me". Donald was strangely not afraid of the woman's temper or the strength she showed, for he knew there was one thing he could do. And spat on Sif's face.

Now he was afraid.

Sif lifted him up in the hair with one hand, and before slamming him on the ground, Jane screamed "He is not coward!" all eyes were on her, and she blushed for a moment "He ran... towards the hall... after the shooting started. He went there with a limp, and arriving there he screamed for everyone in the chaos to hear. He is not a coward, Sif" She looked at him, trying to find nice words to end the sentence, before realizing that all needed to be said about this situation was said. Sif put the doctor back on the ground gently.

"What a disappointment..." She said to Donald before turning her back.

He tried to grab his cane, only to realize it broke on his fall. Donald tried to get up anyway, supporting himself on the walls "And you didn't answer my questions".

Sif looked both of them and gave a smile "I saved both of you."

"Did you, now? I remember they shooting at you, not us." Jane helped Donald get on his feet.

"If I weren't there, you both would be on a Jotunn's belly".

"Ok, wait" Donald decided to give up and just sat on the floor again "Jotunn? I remember that. And those symbols, and your names, all your names". Donald was having enough of the mysterious gimmick, he wanted definitive answers "You guys are members of some cult? Like worshiping Norse Gods? I remember the stories, I was pretty in ancient mythology".

All four armored figures laughed out loud.

Sif cleared her throat, and before letting another smile, said "I need you all to understand something. Your world is just a part of something a lot bigger and older than you can imagine".

"That's what he said too. Wednesday".

Sif considered Donald Blake's words for a second. "Loki" she said under her breath "Mr Wednesday's real name is Loki. And he is our enemy".

Jane Foster now interrupted "Loki. I know that name too, that's the norse god of lies".

"No, Dr. Foster, that's what the child lovers who you consider spiritual leaders would lead you believe, after years of corruption from the ancient myths". Sif closed her fist "He is the god of fire and shadow. Trickery and lies are but two of many weapons in his arsenal."

Donald was incredulous "So that's what you are saying. You are actual gods"

"Well, no" Sif caught herself "We are just a very old race, with very long lifespans and the kind of technology you humans have not even began to understand". Sif shrugged. "Same difference I guess".

Donald was not convinced "Technology then? Not magic?"

"To us, they are one and the same"

Jane and Donald took some time to process the information they were given

"No" Donald said in an incredulous tone "You can't just come here, threaten our lives and say… say… you are gods".

"We" Fandral said from across the room "Not You, Blake, We".

Donald considered the man's words and laughed. "I am a God? Mister, I don't know who you are, but in case you haven't noticed, I can't even get up on my own".

"Yes, that's why we are here. That's why why you were given that invitation" Sif gestured to Hogunn, who then tossed her an waterskin made of green leather. "This is an odre, made of a dragon's bladder. Pretty cool, uhn?" She smiled, gesturing the bag in the air "And it contains water from the well of mimir" Hogunn tossed another thing at her, this time a bronze chalice into which she poured the water "With that, we will awaken you, Thor".

"No, that's not… it doesn't make any sense. My name is Donald Blake, I was born on New York, my mother was a nurse and my father a bricklayer."

Sif stared in the doctor's eyes "What about the dreams?"

Donald stopped smiling, his irises shrunk

"Yes, there is always dreams". Sif smiled. "I looked for you, for fifteen hundred years. How many must you have been? Hundreds, maybe thousands. But these lives do not disappear, doctor, they just bury themselves deep in your mind. When there is no space left, the memories come."

Donald remembered all the dreams he had. They were always ancient, people in the past living different lives. And that one recurring life in particular.

"They are all gone, did you know?" Sif's tone now sounded bitter "While you played, loved, grew and experienced everything once more, Asgard died. Ragnarok has already happened, and everyone is dead" she was now by Donald's side, close to his ear

Donald did not know what those words meant, but they hurt. Hurt more than everything else. And he cried.

"Crying already?" Sif was clearly disgusted. "Doctor, you haven't even began to understand what is all of this. But I can help you do it".

"Allow me to show..." her lips touched Donald's ears, the voice a whisper "who you are".

Donald's eyes trembled, his hands were shaking. But he was now full of certainty. "Show me!"

Sif nodded with a smile, seeming proud with the doctor's decision. "Volstagg, hold him". Donald looked at her, not afraid or confused, but just determined. "Believe me, you will need it". Sif took an almost doubtful look at Hogunn, who nodded with approval.

Fandral took Jane's hand "My lady, you will not want to see this" She slipped, pushed him to the side and wondered if Don knew what he was doing.

Volstagg began to cry, positioning himself behind Donald and grabbing him by the arms tight. Blake realized that any tighter and every bone in his body would shatter. "I am so, so sorry" Volstagg voice cracked, the big man's eyes red and full of tears. Donald had began to worry about what they would do to him, but his worries disappeared when Sif touched his face. smiling at him. Her touch warm. Her smile bright.

Then she ripped his left eye.

The doctor screamed, his lungs lost all air, he took a deep breath and screamed again.

Fandral held Jane foster tight by her waist. Foster scratched, bit, punched and tried to do everything she could to escape but the man, although the weaker of his asgardian companions, was far too tough for a small physicist to seriously injury.

As Donald screamed, Sif took the eyeball and smashed over the chalice. The fluid and blood mixing with the water from mimir. She gestured and Volstagg, crying sorrowful Volstagg forcibly opened Blake's mouth.

"YOU MONSTER!" Jane screamed "Why… why did you do this?"

Sif turned her head slightly and said with a somber tone "The Well of Mimir demands payment" she then approached Donald and forced the liquid down his throat.

His screaming suddenly stopped. He stopped debating himself. Volstagg let go of him and he falled to his knees.

And then the sky was dark.

And the lightning hit.

The bolt which entered the abandoned building illuminated everything in miles, every single window on the building breaking. Sif was tossed across a wall and Volstagg slammed against the floor.

The man was charged with electricity, energy coming out of his body. His socket began to grow another eye. Jane watched in shock, barely noticing the buzzing sound that came from the skies. Suddenly, something broke through a wall entering the building at high speed. The man raised on hand, the object hitting it. It was clear know the thing was an hammer. Jane noticed it to be the same object she was contacted to study. The lighting stopped, the room was now silent.

A man was on his knees, and he remembered. And he stood up.

He stood up, and he remembered being a farmer on Poland, watching the czar forces salt his land.

He took a step, and he remembered being an impoverished banker on Germany, watching his family being gassed

He took a second step, and he remembered being a warrior fighting against the muslims for the fate of Byzantine.

And above all, he knew his name. He recalled the time of old, being a prince, a warrior. He recalled being on adventures with his brothers, his lover and his friends.

He was heroic and selfish, brave and cruel, first in battle and quick to anger. He remembered doing a terrible, terrible thing, and being punished for it by becoming weak, fated to live and lost over and over again.

He remembered when his name was Thor.

And he cried again.

* * *

Well, ok then.

People, some warnings.

This isn't so much a fanfic as it is a complete reimagining of the entire Thor mythos. This will have elements from everything. Movies, comics, mythology and any work of art I like. Yeah, it's pretty much a completely original story with those characters. And even the characters have changes, some subtle others not so much.

Please tell me if you see any spelling mistakes because english isn't my first language.

Bye, 'till the next chapter


	2. Chapter 2 - There and Back Again

**Chapter II**

 **There and Back Again**

* * *

The aesir was distraught.

The hill was green, a slight breeze blew across the vegetation. Down below a crystalline river shimmered as the few rays of sun that shined through the cloudy sky hit the water, creating a greenish tint. The aesir as the only man in miles, a hammer stood on the ground a few feet across him.

After Sif awakened him, the pain and memories were too much. He decided to be alone and deal with the many he once were. The aesir flew away with Mjolnir to the first place that came to his mind when thinking of calmness, an isolated mountain hill in Norway.

His body was a mountain of muscles, and even if Donald Blake was no small man, he would have looked rather frail next to his body now. The aesir touched his right leg, once a limp, and gripped it, feeling the firmness only a now healthy leg would provide. With the other hand he touched his eye which had been ripped by Sif. It was whole again, even if the dried blood was still splattered across his face. He started to remember all his lives again, going all the way back to who he first was.

Once he was a mason in medieval Europe.

Once a prince, kidnapped and left to starve by his uncle.

Another time a viking warrior, bringing glory to his village.

And way back, an angry brother and son, heir to a kingdom among the stars.

His memories drifted. And he regretted.

He remembered being a prince, and a warrior. The heir to the most powerful throne in the Seven Realms, the Throne of Asgard. Proud, reckless, bloodthirsty and merciless were all appropriate descriptions to the god, as well as heroic and brave. He had a family he loved, two younger brothers named Balder and Loki as well as a father, the Allfather Odin, with whom he had a rocky relationship. Although respecting the old man's power and past conquests, it was impossible not to feel that the king's methods and ambitions were old fashioned. Asgard at the time was in an age of diplomatic expansion, offering protection and scientific, or rather magical, achievements. Even if technically optional for the civilizations offered the proposal, there wasn't much room for choice. Any place contacted by the asgardians would be put in the cosmological map, and became a target for the many threats put at bay by the Golden Realm.

He was the sword of Asgard, or maybe the hammer. Mjolnir, as it was called, the most powerful weapon in all of the realm belonged to him, a magical hammer forged at the heart of a dying star and with it he protected the kingdom with thunder and blood. By his sides were always his companions Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg and his lover, Lady Sif who was said to be the most skilled warrior ever produced by the realm. Together their adventures were the stuff of legends, especially among midgard's mortals. They partied, fought and cried together.

Lady Sif was the only one amidst the many women he had, and there were many, that there were feelings of affection. Their relationship was one of sugar and ice, love interpolated with anger, connected by the lust their unique strength and courage awakened on each other. Balder was the youngest of Odin's childs, a sweet poet and musician with no interest in war but loved by Thor all the same. And there was Loki.

Loki were always a troublesome child. A lier and trickster who enjoyed creating chaos and making fools of the asgardians. Shunned at a young age, Odin treated him coldly, and only his brothers showed the middle child affection, especially Thor who always came to his protection when, as childs, the other children bullied and dismissed him as "The Laufeyson", the meaning of which the brothers would only learn when grown. Always academic, Loki would turn to dark, forbidden magic at a young age, books filling the void left by his peers.

Together, the brothers would always cause trouble, Thor's temper causing it and Loki's willy solving it. Although sometimes it was the opposite. Loki's chaotic nature disturbing his home and Thor's strength hammering any resulting consequence down. The aesir remembered his brother fondly, recalling their brotherly love one of his few redeeming traits.

A hawk soared across the sky, awakening the aesir from his daydreaming. He watched the raptor caught a smaller bird and was reminded of his brother Balder, the reason of his banishment.

Balder was said to be a friend to all living things. Animals were always fond of the man, and all in Asgard, even though a highly martial society, thought of the poet prince as a friend. He was often compared to a bird in a cage produced by his militaristic environment. An artist at heart who always kept his distance from Loki and Thor's schemes, not that it prevented him from getting caught on them. Be it when the oldest pretended to be a giant's bride, or when Loki created the eight-legged horse sleipnir, or when making fun of the middle-child for the stories saying he gave birth to it, Balder always played a subtle part. That's why when he died, the rampage that followed would change the realm forever.

The aesir remembered still receiving the news, and they hurt now as much as they hurt then. Balder's body laying on the main hall, three arrow's wound across the torso, and a white veil soaked in blood. The main culprits were caught and executed, 4 Vanir invaders trying to access the secrets of Odin's vault. Thor and his father argued for hours, and while the Allfather was satisfied with the murderers death and avoiding full-scale conflict, Thor wanted Vanaheim to feel his pain, to experience sorrow and lost on a scale only Asgard's hammer could bring, and if war was the price to be paid, then so it would be.

While at first consenting to the Allfather's terms, Thor laid plans. And while his father rested in Odinsleep, a sacred ritual meant to bring the king to full strength and against Loki and Sif's advice, Thor acted. For three days, Vanaheimr felt the God of Thunder lone rampage. Villages of civilians wiped, castles destroyed, their military strength wiped out. Even the most powerful weapons barely slowed him down and by the end, where once stood a mighty kingdom on it's own right, laid only a desolated waste.

The aesir remembered the burning huts and closed a fist in anger at his past actions.

With innocent blood still splattered across his body, Thor enjoyed his vengeance and partied on midgard with his scandinavian followers. Sif shunned him, not for the rampage but for disrespecting the Allfather's order, a betrayal on it's own right. The warrior's three stayed by his side out of fear and loyalty. Loki put his political engines in motion in order to assure the backlash against his only remaining brother would be minimal. When Odin woke, it didn't matter.

The aesir recalled being on a castle's hall in the middle of old Scandinavia. He chugged gallons of the finest mead without tipping, the most beautiful women in the king's court threw themselves at his lap and the songs went for days. Then the rain of fire started and Odin descended from the sky.

The aesir could not bare to remember what happened between him and the allfather, the things said and the punches thrown. He only remembered being taken everything he was and forced to live as a human, to die and be reborn again until Sif awakened who he was. He recalled Sif's words, how it was all gone, Ragnarok came and Odin was dead. He now knew that his father died thinking of him a monster, someone who put his own pain above peace and prosperity. He regretted never being able to make up for it, regretted never again being able to listen to his king's advice even if to ignore it, and above all, regretted never again feeling his father's touch.

Although Thor remembered everything, he still had questions. Loki was chaotic and isolated, but destroying Asgard seemed too much even for the man. They needed to talk, not as Donald Blake and Mr. Wednesday but as brothers.

At the god's command, the sky closed. Lighting began, and as he raised an arm, one hit his fist. An armor began forming down from the hand, scalemail underneath a metallic fabric with four white discs on his torso, two holding a red cape. He looked at himself and extended the other arm, calling Mjolnir.

The hammer answered

The sky dissipated, Thor started swinging the hammer in a spin and threw it in the air. And he flew

* * *

"FUCKING. COWARD"

"Ok, Sif, calm down" Fandral gestured his hands trying to calm down Lady Sif's tantrum "I am sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation to him running away".

"There is a explanation" Sif pointed a finger at Fandral "His time as a human made him a goddamn coward" Her voice was now quieter, but still angry "He was a weapon, that's why I did what I did. And he won't even fight anymore".

After Thor flew away, the group stayed on the abandoned building for a few hours. But they did not noticed any movements across the town and decided to go back to Donald's place. Volstagg assaulted the fridge and Hogun stood quietly watching the glutton. Jane Foster sat by the coffee table.

"He walked" Jane said under her breath "His cane was broken and he walked" She took off her glasses and scratched her eyes.

Sif turned to her "I told you, the man you knew as Donald was only a recipient for something greater" She reconsidered her words "Or I thought it was".

Jane stood up and got closer to Lady Sif "Ok, so you guys are gods". She never expected to say that in a serious tone "What happens now?"

Sif sighed "We go back to Asgard. Heimdall may be able to locate that coward. And we will beat some sense to him and bring him to the war against Loki".

Jane took a deep breath "There's even more of you? I thought you said everyone was dead"

"Some survived. Heimdall stood watch at Asgard's ruins, paying his respects to the fallen and trying to locate whatever asgardians may be left, hiding or living lives amongst humans." Sif shook her head "But lately he's not being able to see very well across the realms. Probably Loki's doing".

Jane was surprised "Living lives as humans? Like Don…like Thor?"

Sif shook her head. "No, Doctor. Not like that coward at all".

"I think you need to make some shopping" Volstagg said, finishing an ice cream pot. At the kitchen's table, the leftover from several fruits, meats and what was a full plate of lasagna "Volstagg needs nourishment to fight the battles to come".

Fandral covered his face in embarrassment and Hogun pointed his finger at the table and then at the dishwasher.

"Volstagg does no washing" the fat man said indignant "Volstagg only washes the enemy blood from his hands"

Jane took a long look at all the people in the apartment "I need some sleep" she said as she walked to the bedroom, slamming the door on the way in.

She sat on the bedroom, still a mess from her and Donald's celebrating the invitation that would change their lives. She lied down, put a pillow over her face. And cried.

* * *

Jane was naked at the palace of Buckingham.

"Well, Darling, if you can't do this little task for me, I will have to find another rocket scientist " Said the queen

"No, please, I need this job" Jane was holding a screwdriver and a wrench, trying to fix a computer mounted on a man's ribcage

The queen held a hand over her mouth, covering a smile "What for? Boob job?" A entire crowd began laughing out loud. Jane nervously banged the tools against the monitor screen.

A woman with a scar over her nose entered the palace mounting a horse "My queen, Dr. Whore has a visitor". A man followed her shortly after. A blonde giant carrying a cane, his shapely hair reaching the back, he wore a white unbuttoned shirt that exposed his chest showcasing a powerful physique.

The queen became furious "How dare you bring such indecency to my court!" The old woman was now sitting on a throne high above Jane "Execute her".

A group of men in military clothing circled around Jane with rifles aiming at her. She looked to her side and saw the blonde man, who grabbed her by the waist, before hitting the cane in the ground, transforming it in a hammer. He spinned the hammer and launched it in the air, flying away with Jane.

They were now among the clouds. Jane put her hands around her saviour's neck "Thank you, thank you so much" the man smiled at her and she smiled back "What's your name?"

The man sighed. "I am sorry Darling, don't even bother. I am a god and you…" the man's right eye began bleeding profusely, the rest of his body rotting "...you are nothing".

Jane pushed the corpse away, falling hundreds of meter and landing on the ground without a scratch. She got up and looked around, the landscape now a ruin of some city, the golden crumbled buildings taking most of the view.

"You have a lot on your mind right now, don't you?" A smooth voice came from Jane's side. She looked at it's direction, and saw him. The man had black hair, green eyes like emeralds, long black nails, he wore some kind of medieval clothing. A green coat with gold metallic pieces over golden plate armor with black fabric underneath, he also had a helmet with long antlers.

Jane was apprehensive. She now had clothes again, more befitting a peasant in the dark ages. "What's all of this?"

"This, Dr. Foster, was Asgard" the man said looking around "Or was, I've not been there in hundreds of years. But it should look something like this".

Asgard? Jane had heard the name before.

"Confused? I would be surprised if you weren't. Dreams are seldom full of clarity".

The realization hit the doctor, who was now restless. "I'm dreaming?" She started stomping the ground in anger "I. Am. Sick. Of. This. Shit".

"Spare the ground, Doctor. It is not to blame for your misfortune". The man snapped his fingers and the landscape began to change. The buildings restored themselves to form and what was a wasteland, turned in a beautiful empty city. The man bowed "My name is Loki. And I suppose I'm your brother-in-law".

Jane was shocked. "Loki? That guy who almost got me killed?"

"I did nothing". Loki reconsidered for a bit. "Well, my people did".

Jane decided to cut the crap and said with a demanding tone. "Why. Are you. Inside my head?"

Loki let go of a little smile. "We needed to talk, this…" Loki waved his arms "...seemed easier".

"Easier?" Jane smiled with sarcasm before turning her expression in determination. "What do you want? Say everything right now".

"What a change of mood" Loki waved his hand in front of his face "Well, it's about Sif. And my brother" Loki's tone wasn't playful anymore, but concerned. "Lady Sif wants to use Thor, for a goal I imagine will bring ruin to Earth".

Jane smiled with contempt "Sif protected me from your people. She told me you destroyed your own home. That you have been killing humans for hundreds of years. So don't try to sweet talk me, I know what you are".

Loki raised one eyebrow. "She told you this, of that I am certain. But believe me when I say that the reality is not so simple." He snapped his fingers again, this time the landscape showed a village on a snowy place, the people in it seemed a lot like the lady Jane met on the party at the club, with pointy ears and facial markings. The shades of skin however, were different kinds of blue. "Yes, I have been hunting for quite a few human lifetimes. But my prey aren't human". Suddenly, golden battleships the size of skyscrapers appeared on the sky while a army circled the village.

"They are asgardians". The soldiers, in golden plate armor, began slaughtering the villagers while the battleships rained down fire from the skies. "And the only reason I am doing it, is for the good of Earth". When the fire cleared, thousands of skulls where under Jane and Loki's feet all across the horizon.

Jane's feet were trapped in the mountain of skulls, and she began to freak out. "What is happening?" She tried to move her legs with her hands, uselessly. "Stop this, NOW!"

Loki's face was lit by the flames left by the battleships. "That's what asgardians did, Doctor Foster. Conquest and devastation. Like steel, the people under their thumb would either bend or break. Mostly both". The entire landscape began to collapse, and Loki was slowly consumed by shadow. "You saw Sif, saw how brutal she could be, and she was tame compared to the others. When you wake up, Doctor, remember talking to Sif. Ask her what she plans to do when Asgard..." Loki was completely consumed, only his voice remaining "...is once more."

Jane jumped from her bed screaming. She was sweating, her hands shaking.

Fandral slammed the door open "Lady Jane! What is it?" He heard the screams from the living room.

Foster was breathing heavily "I need to talk to Sif".

* * *

Loki sat on a chair besides the fireplace. He seemed thoughtful, one hand on his chin and the other holding a glass full of whisky. He flinched slightly with the kiss at his neck.

"I hope your little trip was productive" The red headed woman caressed the man's shoulders as she put her arms around his neck.

He took a deep sip from the glass "Yes, I believe it was".

Siegfried stood in front of the wooden doors. From the window it was possible to see down below the devastation caused by the brief battle at the mansion. Some kind of brute humanoids were doing construction work trying to repair the damage. The creatures had grey, rock-like skin and rough facial features, with puffs of brown fur under their chin and around the arms. Although not taller than a human, they were much stockier, with a very muscled appearance denouncing a massive strength and toughness. As a whole, they looked like more humanoid gorillas. Some held giant pieces of stone above their heads, while others operated construction machines that seemed built out of scrap.

"The rock trolls will finish the work shortly" Siegfried said "Although I think their talents would be of better use on a battlefield".

"Oh, Siegfried, take your mind out of fighting for a second. Maybe some nice girl would be willing to look past that hideous thing on your face then". Lorelei smiled provocatively "Maybe that's what you need to make that temper of yours easier to deal with".

The man touched his burned face for a second. "Woman" He said with a somber tone "What I need I take. And what I need is that wench's blood". He walked in Loki's direction. "We could have her head in a spike right now. That would make a nice decoration piece". He smiled at the thought.

"Siegfried is right" Loki took the woman's arms away from his neck and got up. "It is time to act".

Lorelei seemed offended at Loki's rejection, but swallowed her pride "What changed your mind, my love?"

"Thor's whore did not noticed it, but I was able to take some information from her. They are going back to Asgard." Loki's voice seemed worried "And Heimdall may be set on the board".

Siegfried and Lorelei turned their heads to one another, exchanging concerned looks.

"What do you mean, going back to Asgard?" Lorelei caressed Loki's arm. "The tesseract is lost. Odin's power was the only thing keeping the Bifrost working".

"If someone has the power to activate the bridge, that would be Heimdall" Loki reconsidered his words for a moment. "But I doubt he can make use of it. I made sure the guardian's sight on Earth was blinded. They may have found one of the gateways hidden on Earth".

Siegfried clenched his teeth. "Then we have to stop Sif. If Heimdall comes for us..." He already regretted his words, and said with an angry ashamed tone "There would be nothing we can do".

"Well, it should make things a lot more fun". Loki smiled. "But it's a risk we can't take. Siegfried, call Grendell and mobilize the trolls. Tell them to go after the wench and her companions"

Siegfried seemed offended "Grendell? That little worm can't hurt even a wounded hog. Let me go after them, I will torn Sif apart, limb by limb".

"No, I do not wish for their deaths just yet. I need to talk to Thor first, and he is missing."

Siegfried closed a fist and approached his boss with anger. "Why? He should be our first target"

Loki's presence grew, and shadows began to engulf the room "I will talk to my brother, and you will do as told". Siegfried flinched and backed down.

"Missing?" Lorelei interrupted, trying to calm her lover. The shadows began to dissipate. "He has not been awakened yet?"

Loki shook his head. "He has, but it seems the memories overwhelmed our good doctor. Maybe he retired himself to a remote place, to come to terms with himself." The god of lies dismissed himself with a gesture. "It is of little importante. He will soon be back, and finding old friends dead would certainly not help my goals. We only need to slow them down, and he will come to me. Now, go Siegfried".

As the man with a burned face walked out of the room, slamming the door in, Lorelei hugged Loki. She was one head shorter than him.

"What about me? Is there anything I can do for you?" She touched Loki's face.

"Yes, in fact there is". Lorelei slowly closed in her lips to Loki's. He put an empty glass between their heads. "Fill this for me".

Lorelei sighed before taking the glass and approaching the bar. Loki stood by the window, watching the movement down below. Siegfried was giving commands to the trolls, who stopped for a moment before cheering and giving each other high-fives. Loki smirked at the brutes actions, amusing himself with their apparent stupidity. By Siegfried's side stood a man with pointy ears and milky white skin, wearing a full body black battle armor. Grendell put a helmet which mimicked a face and commanded the trolls to board the ship stationed at the garden. The ship was a monstrous thing the size of a commercial plane, it's quadrangular shape seemed assembled out of scrap like the construction machines.

As the ship took of at immense speed, Siegfried gave a brief angry look at Loki, all the way up the mansion's last floor, before leaving as well.

"Soon". Loki said under his breath, smiling "Fire, Shadow and Thunder shall meet again".

* * *

Jane sat alone on the sofa. Her diminutive size seemed smaller still with all the worried looks the four asgardians gave her. Hogun and Sif whispered to each other in the kitchen as Fandral tried to comfort her, and Volstagg's usually gleam demeanor was now grim.

"So, is it true?" Jane's hands were gripping her pants. "What he said about Asgard, I mean".

Fandral put a hand over her shoulder. "No, of course not". His tone was gentle, as if talking to a troubled child. "Asgard was a place of glory. We never conquered or bullied other races". He took some time to think to himself. "Yes, we tried to share our wonders, but that was it. Sharing".

Jane did not buy the explanation. She knew history, she knew the stories of ancient empires that had the same excuse which was just that. Excuses.

But at the same time, she knew that they also always did what promised. Yes, the romans subjugated most of Europe, but they also brought basic sanitation and spread knowledge to more primitive civilizations. Her feelings were mixed.

"Sif". As Jane called the goddess name, she exchanged a look with Hogun, before turning to face the physicist. "After all of this is over, what will happen?"

Sif took a deep breath, finding some comforting words, something quite difficult for someone with her temper. "After we find Thor and Loki's head is put on a spike, we will find any asgardians that may be left, any race that remember Asgard as it was willing to help us, and we will rebuild our home".

Jane looked down. "And after that?". She feared the answer.

Sif closed her expression. "If Loki can enter your mind so easily, you are a liability. We can't afford to give you any more information. He probably already knows everything we told you".

Jane gasped. "I...I didn't tell him anything".

"You didn't need to. If he can get in, he can take what he wants. Such is the art of dream walking". Lady Sif looked at her three asgardians companions. "We need to move. If he really know we have a way of going back to Asgard, he will do everything to stop us".

Jane got up. "What about me? What about Don?"

"You can do what you want, except come with us. As for Thor..." She said the name with a harsher tone, reminding Jane of her lover's name. "...I told you, we will find him in time".

The four asgardians exited the apartment, and as Fandral left the door, he exchanged a final look with Jane and nodded, as if saying thank you.

Jane was alone in the apartment again, with nothing to do except deal with everything that happened.

Then the four entered the apartment again.

Sif closed in and grabbed Jane's arm. "You need to go away from here right now. As in, from this city".

Jane resisted a bit. "Wait, why?"

Hogun just nodded to the window, as a screeching sound of a powerful engine could be heard.

Jane approached the place the Grim pointed to her, and saw it. A huge, ugly quadrangular shape hovering above the city. The thing did not had any business not falling apart, much less flying.

"What the hell is that?" Jane said with utter disbelief.

"That, my darling, is a Rock Troll battleship". Fandral took away Sif's hand. "And you do need to get away". He said putting one hand behind Jane's waist.

Voice's could be heard from outside. They were deep baritones and although what was said wasn't clear, it was obviously a cry of war. Then the explosions started.

"They are here for you, aren't they?" Jane was angry.

Sif started to lose patience. "Yes, they are, more than likely because of what Loki found inside your stubborn head". She invoked two longswords on each hand, materializing with a flash of light. the other asgardians following suit. Volstagg had a giant war axe, the blade the size of his head and the handle as long as his body. Fandral one big rapier, the blade the length of his torso. Hogun held some kind of mace, with a metal shaft covered in spikes.

Jane watched the seemingly impossible event and just gave up trying to make some sense of it all.

Sif pointed a finger at Jane. "So do what you're told..." A tremor shook the ground "...and we will solve this mess".

"I can't get out now". Jane was restless.

"THEN HIDE!" Sif shouted as they left the apartment once more.

Jane remembered the old gun Donald always kept hidden, a memento from his time as a soldier. She went to the bedroom and searched in the closet, finding a Beretta M9 in a holster. She grabbed the firearm, put a chair in front of the door and waited, gun in hand.

* * *

The warrior's three and Lady Sif left the apartment building, and saw the chaos. People running through the streets, several cars blown up, fire spreading across the town. Up in the skyes, the ship hovering stood in place as rock trolls jumped dozens of feet from hatches on the sides, landing on the floor as it cracked underneath them. About eight of the gorillas were on the streets. They wore some kind of armor that did not cover their entire body, but instead only their legs, upper chest and shoulders, and the weapons were rudimentary. Most had giant axes, the blades seemed like chainsaws, two of them whoever, had big cannons coupled to their arms, with three openings used for firing. They followed the commands from a particularly big troll, standing at around seven and a half feet tall who wore a ugly but powerful gray mecha-suit covering his entire body. He held a big club made of solid metal.

"Lets cause sum trubble until dem pansies asgardians show their assz" The big troll said while waving his arms with closed fists.

The trolls hacked anyone that came close to them, splattering blood and guts all across the streets. Dozens of bodies laid mutilated. The ones with cannons just shot randomly, shooting balls of hot plasma that exploded on impact, each opening shooting at a time. After each three shots, it looked like they needed to reload for a few seconds.

A troll looked at the four asgardians and called his boss attention. "'ey boss, arent weeb lookin' fer dem guys?"

The boss looked behind, and saw the targets. Although trolls physiognomy probably could not smile like humans knew it, his mouth opened displaying a chimp-like dental structure. "well well, da pansies decideded ter show up". He held his club over his head and the gauntlet from his other hand ejected a big blade the size of a human arm. "boyz, lets show theyz bastards ow weeb mean businez".

One troll took a shot from his handcannon at the asgardians. The four broke up, trying to avoid the shot. As the ball of plasma hit the floor, it exploded in ball of fire engulfing an entire square. Hogun and Volstagg held their ground at the shockwave, Sif barely noticed but Fandral was sent flying smashing to a car.

All the trolls took charge. Two of them went after Volstagg. One tried a hit at the fat man with the chainsaw axe, who blocked it with his own axe. The other troll took the opening and slammed Volstagg shoulders-first, separating the fat man from the troll that clashed against him and both of them crashing against a wall from a nearby restaurant. The voluminous grabbed the troll's neck and headbutted him, the creature's nose exploding with blood. The other one once again took a swing of the chainsaw axe at him, hitting his shoulder, sawing through flesh and bone, splattering blood all across Volstagg and the creature's face. The fat man grabbed the weapon and pushed it tighter, biting his lips in pain with such force it began to bleed. He took his swing of his axe, hitting the troll's unprotected mid torso, the creature screeching in pain and taking the weapon off Volstagg's shoulder.

The troll with a broken nose once again charged. Volstagg held his wounded shoulder with one hand, and waited for the creature to come. They both took a swing of their axes, colliding each other and producing a small shockwave. Both closed in, the troll punched Volstagg's bleeding shoulder which made him flinch in pain and fall sideways to the ground. The creature prepared to strike once more but Volstagg jabbed his axe in the Troll's crotch, making the brute drop his weapon. The fat man got up and pushed his weapon further, the troll screaming in pain. He backed off, allowing the creature to put his hand over the wound, and took a swing again, hitting the troll on the head and splitting it in two, grey matter and blood splattering all across Volstagg's face.

Meanwhile, Fandral fought one single troll

"wot dat lil' fing?" The troll held his chainsaw axe with both hands, seemingly disappointed. "Meeb cant eben pikk mi fangs wif ya"

"Well, I can't understand a word of what you are saying." Fandral swang his rapier, showing off. "But I assure you that fighting me will be the last thing you ever d-" The troll punched Fandral's face, sending a couple teeth flying away".

" 'nough chatterin', more krumpin". The Troll let go of his axe. He did not seem to think he would need it.

Fandral took a fighting stance, and waited for the Troll to charge. As the creature tried to slam him heard-first, Fandral jumped over the thing's head, landing behind it and pricking his rapier in the small gap between the chest piece and the shoulders of the troll. The creature turned around and threw a punch as Fandral crouched, easily dodging the fist. He took a swing of the rapier again at the Troll's eye, cutting from the eye to the nose. A bit of the nose flew, leaving the creature with a pig-like appearance. The gorilla seemed to ignore the wounds, it tried to grab Fandral by the head, the Dashing took another swing bisecting the troll's hand. This time the creature felt the pain, holding the wounded limb with his other hand. Fandral seized the opportunity and went on the offensive, jabbing quickly the rapier in the troll's throat before rolling to the troll's side and taking a swing at it's unprotected torso. Although the blade pierced half the way in, it got stuck in the creature's flesh, who took another punch as Fandral tried to remove the rapier. Fandral managed to dodge, seeing the fist passing inches from his face.

Fandral backed away and saw the chainaxe lying on the ground, jumping in to grab the weapon. The troll regained his composure, looking for the enemy. When he saw Fandral holding its weapon, it flew in a rage and charged at the Dashing's direction. The asgardian rotated in place trying to gain momentum and slammed the chainaxe in the troll's chest. At first meeting some resistance from the armor, the chainsaw sawed the metal and met the flesh underneath. The troll fell on his knees with one hand in the ground, the axe still stuck on his chest. Fandral griped the rapier and supported one feet on the creature's back, putting some weight in and managing pluck away the weapon.

Another troll, this one holding a handcannon, saw what was happening and took aim. As the ball of plasma fired, Fandral held the collapsed troll by the neck using it as a meat shield. The shot met the improvised shield, exploding in a ball of fire which sent Fandral flying straight across a bus. The Dashing wasn't tough enough and fainted, burn's all across his body and his armor melted.

The troll with a handcannon came closer to the unconscious Fandral, taking aim at close range. Before it could fire however, a metal slab attached to a chain hit it's face, sending a fang flying away. The creature looked and saw Hogun, the chain retracting in the shaft, turning the flail in a mace. The creature took aim once more as Hogun extended the chain again, swinging the metal in circles above his head and throwing it at the troll, hitting it's guts and sending it flying away from Fandral.

Hogun got closer to his companion and analyzed his injuries. However, two trolls closed in from the sides, carrying chainaxes. Hogun gave them a angry look, making the trolls stop for a second, look at each other and charge again with screams of excitement. One took a swing from it's axe which Hogun stopped with the mace. The other seized the opening and tried to hit the Grim's back. Hogun dodged the chainsaw, maneuvering the blades in the other troll's arm who backed away in pain. He then placed the shaft between his armpits and his back, putting pressure and breaking the weapon.

The troll looked at his broken weapon and screamed with fury, punching Hogun in the gut. The grim briefly hunched before countering with a jab at the creature's shin, lifting it in the air. The troll with a wounded arm took another charge, swinging his chainsaw blade at Hogun's head, who barely dodged as the tiny blades left a cut on his cheek. The chains from the mace extended again, Hogun throwing at the creature's neck and enveloping it with the chain. Hogun started swinging the mace again, lifting the troll with it, barely making an extra effort despite the creature's added weight. He threw one troll against the other, both of them crashing against a car with such strength that the vehicle barely stopped the momentum and all the three crashed through a house, demolishing the entire structure which luckily had no one in it.

Hogun retracted the chain and got closer to the derelicts. One troll, with marks on it's neck and blood coming out of it's mouth, got up, lifting rocks from over him and charged a third time. Now, Hogun simply waited and allowed the creature to close in, before taking a swing from the mace at it's head. The troll tried to block the metal slab with an arm, uselessly as the mace broke the arm exposing the bone and sending it flying away. The other troll, much worse for wear, also got up. Hogun extended the chain and flinged it at it's head also. This troll could not muster the energy to block or dodge and was hit with immense strength. It's head was crushed in, the eyes jumping from the sockets, the skull shattered spraying blood and gray matter.

The troll with a broken arm laid on it's knees. It looked at his exposed bone and griped his arm trying to put in back in place. It screamed in agony, moving the bone around and twisting it's flesh. It finally managed to put the bone back inside and got up, one arm hanging loosely. Hogun looked at him with an always closed expression, before uttering one word.

"Coward"

The troll opened it's eyes, let go a scream of pure rage and charged an final time at Hogun. The asgardian simply assumed a defensive stance. Before the troll closed in, however, an ball of plasma passed at high speed by his side, Hogun barely having time to react as he extended the chain from the mace, now a flail, and swinging it at the ball meters before hitting him. The explosion engulfed the wounded troll, consuming the creature in flame while Hogun jumped back as he was sent flying away by the shockwave mid-air. Hogun managed to land on his feet and saw the troll with a handcannon, bleeding from his mouth, running towards him charging another shot.

Hogun again took a swing from the flail and threw it at the troll as he shot. The ball of plasma and the metal slab met mid-air, the explosion sending the flail flying back on Hogun's direction, who managed to dodge it as it crashed on a tanker truck behind him. The Grim noticed the flail was stuck, but did not cared for the troll was loading the weapon again, apparently running out of ammo. Hogun simply decided to use the truck as a improvised flail. He began to rotate the vehicle until it lifted in the air, swinging it upwards in the sky towards the troll as he finished loading. Just as the creature was about to shoot, the trucker hit him like a hammer. The scattered energy from the weapon ignited the fuel in the cargo and exploded. The explosion was now even bigger, the shockwave this time managing to disturb Hogun's balance. He looked away and saw Fandral, now conscious, trying to get up only to be sent flying away.

As the explosion cleared, Hogun noticed that the plates on his armor were red hot on the extremities. He rushed to where Fandral landed, his companions injuries even worse than before, although he managed to keep himself awake this time, just barely. Hogun sighed in relief before lifting Fandral and putting the man over his shoulder with little effort.

He saw Volstagg, with a bleeding shoulder, coming closer. The Voluminous saw Fandral and began crying.

"Fandral!" Volstagg put a hand on the Dashing's face, checking if he was awake. "What happened, you fool?"

Fandral was able to put a few syllables together. "Heh… I guess...It was too much… for me" He saw Volstagg's shoulder. "But at least… I still have two arms".

Volstagg let go a smile of relief. Hogun called his attention, and both of them went to find Sif.

Lady Sif did not messed around. When one troll tried to hack her with a chainaxe, she simply dodge it easily, grabbed the weapon's handle, pushed it closer and sticked one of her sword's blade in the troll's open mouth. The blade went in without any resistance, the blade sticking from the top of the creature's head barely covered in blood. She looked at her side and saw the troll warboss watching

"What? You just going to let some minion do the fighting?" She smiled at the boss.

The warboss started to close in. "slag, i be goin' ter use yer skulls fer a toiled" He ejected a blade from his gauntlet. "big bosz will use yer per-tty he'd around 'is neck"

The warboss tried to smash Sif's head with it's club as she dodged the strike. She grabbed his arm and used his momentum to flip him over her head, throwing the chief troll several yards away. It got up, little worse for wear and charged at her. Sif charged as well and as he tried to slash her head, she hunched backwards, the blade passing above her nose. She was behind the troll now, and grabbed his arm with the blade with one arm and elbowed it's back while holding her ground as she thrusted the troll's side, sending it scraping through the ground. The warboss realized the woman was playing with him.

The big troll grabbed one car that was by his side and held it over his head. He threw it with full strength at the woman, who simply tanked the vehicle as it crashed against her body which passed through the car like hot knife in butter, the metal frame breaking in half. Sif smiled at the warboss, and made a come at me gesture with her hands.

The warboss charged at the woman. Unlike it's mooks, the troll was silent and focused. It once again tried to slash at Sif, this time her legs. She jumped over the blade as the club hit her in the chest, sending her flying through a car and landing on her back. She jumped back up and joined her swords, making a two-pointed spear which she began to rotate. The troll charged a second time and took a swing from his club. Sif's blades began to glow red with heat as she dodged the strike and cutted through the mecha-suit's torso. The troll looked at the cut, the metal around it glowing red as it evaporated the blood flowing from the wound, in disbelief at the fact that some weapon could cut his armor so easily.

It then made a change of strategy, assuming a defensive stance and waiting the woman's attack. Sif realized it and smiled. This troll was different of the others, smarter and more precise as expected from a troll warboss. Seldom one reached the top if as dumb as the others of it's kind.

Sif decided to give in to the warboss demands and charged with immense speed. She could barely be seen even by the troll's eyes. The creature made a swinging motion with the club, trying to hit the blur which stopped a few centimeters before reaching the troll. A kick came from the side directly in the warboss's face. The creature was harmed but not dazzled and quickly tried to slash Sif with his blade. Sif still mid air grabbed the thing's hand, lifting it up as she landed and got a hold, the troll passing above her head and hitting the floor with such power that the entire ground in dozen of meters radius cracked and sending a shockwave which broke the windows of several buildings across the street.

Sif separated the spear in individual swords and tried to slash her troll's head, who managed to dodge the strike. The blade's began glowing even more, the heat emanating managing to melt the bodywork of a couple of cars closer. Sif was unaffected.

The troll saw a fire hydrant close to the woman, aimed with the gauntlet and launched the blade at it. The hydrant's top was cut off, expelling water in the air. The water began to evaporate just as it was expelled however.

The troll began to be consumed by rage, tired of strategy. He reverted to just charging at Sif, this time a couple of engines in the back of his mecha suit began to combust, propelling the warboss faster than even the troll could see. He did not needed tought, as he slammed Sif and crashed both of them through a house. And another. And several houses and buildings before landing on the other side of the town.

Sif felt pain this time. She coughed a drop of blood, licked it from her lips, and let go a big smile of excitement. The troll seemed even more injured than the woman, but felt satisfaction seeing her blood. He screamed, pounded his chest and charged. Sif simply spinned and, seizing the momentum from the troll, hit her elbow against the creature's sternun, breaking the suit's chestplate and sending another shockwave as the troll fell on his back. The troll stopped to feel the blow, his breastbone shattered. A grievous mistake, as Sif nailed one sword at his legs, cutting through the armor easily. She backed off to watch the warboss reaction.

The troll did not make a sound of pain, just looked at his leg, nailed and burning from the inside. He now knew not to be a match.

"i may go, but yer goin' wif meeh" The mecha-suit began to glow red from a single point above the shattered chest plate on the neck. "i will 'plode yer ta bits". It had activated a bomb inside the suit.

Sif threw the other sword right on the blinking spot, the blade passing through the troll's neck. It fell on it's back again and began to suffocate on it's own blood.

"Thank you for the giving me a target". She got closer, watching as the troll died. Sif picked both her swords, her attention now on the gigantic, ugly ship hovering above the town.

From a distance, it was possible to see the Warrior's three. Volstagg and Hogun running towards Sif, Hogun with Fandral above his shoulders.

"Sif! Its Fandral!" Volstagg screamed, his eyes red. "He's wounded. Badly".

Sif examined the Dashing. She showed an uncharacteristic concern. "Yes, he is. But nothing that will kill him. We need to take him back to Asgard, the suppliments we gathered there should have some medicine to help speed the healing". She looked at the troll's ship. "But that thing should be taken care of first."

Suddenly, the ship started moving, slowly, closing in the asgardians until directly above them. Volstagg looked around, seeing the landscape covered in shadows. Hogun was focused on the ship and Sif looked to Fandral. He would not survive another assault.

"Well, that was over quite quickly". A voice echoed from the ship, It was raspy and high-pitched. "Not that I expected those dumb rocks to make a difference". It stopped for a second. "Actually, it made more damage than I imagined they would". It most likely referenced Fandral.

"Grendel!" Sif screamed at the ship above them. "What kind of coward sends a bunch of animals at his enemies and expects anything more than onslaught? Only the Dark elves are so low".

The voice emitted a laugh, which seemed mechanical coming from the ships's speakers. "Well, I am the one standing above you, so don't speak of low".

"Grandel!" Volstagg interrupted before letting Sif speak. "Spare us for now. At least give us some time to shelter Fandral. Then, do not worry, I will face you myself. Up there if you want, on your grounds".

Sif gave the fat man a angry look at his unashamed stupidity.

"Thank you, Volstagg, but I do not think the ship could support someone of your…" He seemed to look for some kind of euphemism, before giving up. "...girth".

"It's over, Grendel. Either go back to the hole you came from, or come out and fight us". Said Sif.

The mechanical laugh happened again. "No, it is not over. This ship may not have any weapons". Troll's ships rarely were weaponized, as they considered anything other than close quarters combat a sign of cowardice. "But there is still something I can do. And believe me, this entire town and beyond will be consumed by the blast. And you will go with it."

The asgardians looked at each other, talking barely enough to hear themselves over the ship's engines noise.

"We need to stop that thing." Volstagg seemed to panic. Hogun nodded to his companion's words.

Sif looked up, thoughtful.

"How do we get up there, Sif?" Volstagg called for the goddess attentions. "What should we do?"

As Sif heard her companion plea, she came to one conclusion. Nothing. There was nothing they could do.

But they would try all the same.

* * *

Grendell remembered Loki's orders. Leave Thor's woman in one piece. But a whole piece with bits missing is still a whole. And damned be Odin's grave if he would not have a little fun before this mission was over.

He was in an apartment building, on the fourth floor, broadcasting his voice to the ship, in hopes of distracting the asgardians long enough to find the girl and escape. It was obvious that they would find a way to stop the ship from detonating, they always did. But it should at least buy him a little more time.

The monstrous thing in the sky and the fighting also allowed him to exit quietly, without drawing attention, on a smaller ship.

He remembered the address he was ordered to stay away from. The floor and apartment number that should be left unschated. Apartment 81, fourth floor. He looked at one number in some door. 76. He was close

"Hey, who are you?" And old man said through an opening in his door. The number read 79. "I don't know you. And what are you wearing?" He pointed at Grendel's black armor. "Are you some kind of actor? Do you have anything to do with what is happening outside?"

"Keep to your business, elder, if you know what is good for you". Grendell said in his raspy voice, turning away from the man.

The old man slammed the door open and entered the corridor. "Are you threatening me? This is my home." He got closer and touched Grendel's shoulder. "So give me some ans-" He did not even noticed the Dark Elf's claws piercing his chest. The man looked down, and saw a hole opened where it had been hit, blood pouring out and making a small pool on the floor. He looked at Grendel's hands and saw his still beating heart, shards of bone and pieces of meat across the armored arm. The old man fell on his knees and then face-planted on the floor, blood covering the ground around his body.

Grendel dropped the heart by the side of the body, and kept going. He walked a few meters and saw the door at the end of the corridor. The number read 81.

There it was.

He clawed the door, wanting to instill fear in whoever was on the other side. With a kick he broke the door open.

And then was shot 4 times across the chest.

The dark elf's armor prevented the shots from piercing his skin. But he still felt the impact. He hunched in pain and put his hands over the breastplate, looking inside the apartment. A small woman wearing glasses held a gun aiming at him. Her expression of surprise and fear turned in one of anger, and she emptied the eleven rounds left in the gun. The bullets hit him all across the body. One entered through an opening in the shoulder, piercing the flesh. He took one hand to the wound, looked at it and upon sawing blood, punched the woman who fell on the floor with a bloodied nose.

"Fucking whore" He grabbed the woman by the neck and lifted her. "I am going to tear your eye for this".

"I..saw… a man… losing an eye". She had trouble talking with the hand pressing her neck. "Didn't… seen...fatal".

The women did not seemed afraid, so much as angered. She saw Grendel's mask, nothing the protection covering his pointy ears.

"So…let me… guess… You are… some kind of elf."

Grendel was actually surprised by the woman's expertise. He cut slightly her cheek with his thumb claw, a dark twisting of caressening.

"Yes, in fact I am. And you are Thor's new whore". He held her face closer to his. "A downgrade from the last specimen, if you ask me".

"I didn't" Jane said, defiantly.

Grendel got angrier at her defiance. "Women, I am Grendel of Svarltheim. And I am here to show you what Thor got yourself in".

"If you want…" She had to paused to take a breath, thanks to the elf's grip on her neck. "To teach me... a new lesson...you have… to do better."

Grendel slammed her against the wall, and held her neck tighter, starting to scratch her cheeks.

"The last one had a scar on her nose. I will help you surpass that." He took off his mask with his free hand and grinned, showing yellow teeth, some rotten. His face, contrary to what the stories told about elves, was a hideous, crooked thing. "Let's make your whole face one big scar".

As he began to cut her skin, however, the thunder echoed. Grendel let go of Jane, the woman dropping on the ground, and got closer to an window. He saw the skies, previously without one single cloud in sight, darkening. A storm of lightning and thunder began. He knew exactly what that meant.

Without looking at Jane, Grendel runned away, to the ship stationed outside, hidden in the back of the apartment building. He did not had time to run through the corridors and just jumped from a window. Four floors straight to the ground, the only thing keeping his comparatively fragile elven legs from breaking were his armor. He entered the ship and took off, going back to the Nidhogg's root club's mansion. As the smaller ship flew, he noticed the quadrangular monstrosity being hit by hundreds of lightings at the same time, being destroyed and exploding in the air.

He at least had news for Loki

"Thor is back."

* * *

The giant ship in the sky was still there.

"Sif, what should we do?" Volstagg asked again

Sif looked at him and then at the ship above they. She gestured to Hogun to come closer.

"Let Volstagg hold Fandral a bit". Hogun handed the Dashing to the Voluminous, as Sif said. " Now, I need you to do something for me." She touched the Grim's shoulder. "And I need you not to laugh".

If Hogun found some amusement at the irony of her words, he did not show it.

Sif took a breath before continuing. "I need you to throw me at that thing."

Hogun took a few seconds to react, and raised on eyebrow as if saying how.

"I am going to stand on your hands, and you will push me with all your strength."

Hogun did not laugh, but Volstagg showed a little smirk. "Like one of those cheerleaders they have here?"

Sif looked at Volstagg by her shoulder. "No. Like that mean bitch who is going to save this town and our friend".

Volstagg immediately shut his mouth.

The ship began emitting some kind of red energy, bolts of red lighting hitting the top of the tallest buildings. They needed to hurry. Hogun made a squat position, his hands joined with the palms upwards. Sif put one hand in the Grim's shoulder, one feet above his hands. She sighed over the ridiculousness of the situation before putting her other foot above the hands as well. She supported both hands on his shoulders trying to gain some balance. To anyone watching, the scene was just absurd and Volstagg could not help but laugh. Hogun prepared himself to launch Sif in the air.

And then the skies closed with nebulous clouds, charged with lighting.

From the sky, bolts started hitting the ship from all sides. Dozen at once. A large stomp could be heard hitting the ship so hard that the entire thing shook, as if a projectile had just got in. Powerful noises of something destroying it from the inside, before a large blast of blue energy blasted from the inside all the way to the ground. The blast was continuous and began moving across the ship, blasting anything in it's way and cutting the structure. The ship now sported a large gap, almost cutting the thing in half.

The lighting coming from the sky began to intensify as it seemed the ship was being charged up. And then the entire thing exploded from the inside. A gigantic blast so powerful the clouds above it opened revealing the clear sky above. Every single window across the entire city shattered, and the shockwave coming from above put an enormous pressure on the asgardians underneath, even if not powerful enough to harm them.

Where once it was a giant ship, hovered only an even bigger cloud of smoke which grew to cover the city as a whole as bits of metal fell, not one big enough to harm even a human. From the dust, a figure fell to the ground in front of the asgardians

The dust cleared revealing a blonde, powerfully built man, wearing a metallic fabric with scalemail underneath, his red cape flowing against the wind and a big hammer with a small handle in his right hand.

Volstagg's eyes began to fill with water. "Thor!" He carelessly dropped Fandral to the ground and ran towards his friend before noticing his mistake and coming back to the wounded companion.

Hogun smiled

Sif punched Thor in the gut.

The god of thunder hunched slightly, the punch clearly had not much strength put behind it.

"Aye, Sif, it's good to see you again as well." His voice was deep, deeper than it was as Donald Blake, but gentle and caring. Sif gave Thor a nod before making way to her more excited companions. Volstagg approached, now carrying Fandral with him, and Hogun followed.

Thor hugged the fat man, before taking a look at the wounded Fandral. The Dashing was unconscious again, but breathing and seemingly healing slowly, Thor messed Fandral's blond hair before reaching to Hogun. Both men stared at each other for a moment, and then hugged. He said after letting go. "I missed you, all of you".

Thor turned to face Sif, getting closer. "Sif, especially you". He showed her a warm smile which she answered with a cold look.

"You can stay where you are." She stopped Thor from coming closer with a hand on his chest. She allowed the hand to stay there a little more than necessary. "I wanted a weapon, not a friend. And I for that reason, I hope you are not as changed as running away like that implied."

Thor closed his smile. He remembered who he left behind. "Where's Jane?"

"We left her at your…" Volstagg caught himself "...at Donald Blake's apartment".

"No need for the pause, Volstagg" Thor jerked his head slightly. "There is no distinction. Not anymore". He started to spin Mjolnir. "I will explain everything, of that I promise. But I need to check on Jane first. Hope you don't mind me for going ahead". He threw the hammer in the air, flying away. He saw his companions watching him, their looks a mixture of surprise at his change of demeanor and hopefulness. He wouldn't disappoint them.

As Thor landed in front of the building, no one in the crowd noticed the flying man with a hammer. There seemed to be a commotion, people were freaked out, crying. He thought to himself that it was a result of the attack he arrived to late to stop. Another failure he bitterly noted. But then Thor heard amidst the crowd.

"They killed someone inside."

His heart skipped a beat, rushing inside the building. He stepped up the stairs up to the fourth floor, some people this time noticing his unusual appearance. He arrived at his apartment corridor to find several people crying, the floor soaked in blood. It was possible to recognize some who lived there, others seemed to be family from locals and other possibly just wanted to see the tragedy. He got closer to a circle in the middle of the hall, pushing a couple to the side and saw it.

Richard Simonson, one of his old neighbors, lying cold in the floor. In the dead man's chest, a hole showing the vitals organs. At first relieved that it was not Jane Foster, he soon was took by sorrow. The old man could be hard to deal with, but was always a good person willing to help others. Another entry in the the failure book.

"Donald?" A voice echoed from the end of the corridor. Thor ran towards it, and saw Jane Foster sitting in the floor in front of her door. She had several scratches under her right eye, some cuts and her neck was red, but otherwise seemed fine. Thor crouched and touched her face, feeling her wounds.

"Oh, sorry". Jane remarked bitterfully. "It's Thor now". She caressed his hand at her face.

"No, Jane" Thor smiled "For you, I am still Donald".

She smiled back. "Thank you". Her entire body language betrayed her tiredness. She kissed his hand. "But we both know that's not true".

They both stood there for a few moments, before Thor sat on the ground by Jane's side. He put one arm around her as she rested her head on his chest.

And for a moment, it was true again.

* * *

 **So that's it, guys.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Here we see some action, which I admit is something I have some trouble with.**

 **So please, let me know what you guys think, not only of the action, but of the writing as a whole. And give me some hints.**

 **I hope you all enjoy it**


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